Worth
by The Lady Massacre
Summary: Just trying to re-enter the Naruto fandom. More of an experiment than anything. ItaSaku. He likes to get close to his victims. She knows this, and allows him to.


Worth

-

Trying to go back to my roots.

-

His 'cell' over looked the courtyard. He could see everything there. Pedestrians walking down the streets, sending wary glances to the criminal insane asylum, formally known as Konoha Psychological Hospital for the Criminally Insane, along with birds fluttering in the wind, and trees bending in the soft breeze. Those things, however, did not interest him. Inside the courtyard was his doctor, speaking with the few friends she had made in this dangerous place. One, a blond woman with long hair. Sister of a former crime partner, Deidara. Explains similar hairstyles. The other, a timid, shy Hyuuga not fit for the psychological world. She, however, was. She was... _perfect. _

-

Sakura laughed lightly, smiling at the joke Ino had made. The day was going uneventfully, like usual. Her patients were insane, and they always had interesting stories to tell, and she liked stories. They often included some murder of some sort, which gave her ideas for the book she was writing. It was one of her goals in life, to write a book. Since she spent time with criminals for the better part of her day, it was a sort of mystery book, filled with lies and deceit, passion and gore. It was little more than an experiment at the present moment.

She could feel eyes watching her. She would always feel that way during lunch, but she could never find the culprit. Still... Sakura looked up, finding her next patient, Uchiha Itachi, staring down at her. All to quickly, the memories of her first meeting with him ran through her mind.

_"In the past, the patient has expressed how he desires to get close to his victims before killing them. Prime examples would be his cousin at age eleven, and his own family at age thirteen, save for his little brother. I suggest, Miss Haruno, you keep your hormones in check and your own personal information to yourself." The warden, Mrs. Hojki, explained as they came upon her newest patient's door. The warden's words angered her, but she knew that they were not without reason. Past psychiatrists have gone mad themselves for studying this man. She herself was a bit afraid, but her mentor and the best damn doctor around, Tsunade, believed in her. She wouldn't let her shishou down. _

_The warden unlocked the door for her, opening it so she might step inside. The patients were strictly ordered to stand where the warden and the guards could see them, but it was clear Uchiha would not listen to those rules. No one really enforced them on him, either. Sakura took a deep breath before stepping inside. Non-too quickly, the warden closed and locked the door behind her. She was stuck in there for an hour, when someone would come to retrieve her. In that hour, her life was in mortal peril. _

_Itachi had been sitting on his bed, reading a book. He made no notice of her, though she knew he knew she was there. She stood at the door, watching him, unsure what to do. She closed her eyes for a fraction of a second, taking a deep breath in, and when she opened them, he was standing in front of her. Sakura took a step back out of fear, her eyes wide, but then they steeled, and she frowned. _

_"My name is Haruno Sakura," she introduced. "I'm your new psychiatrist, since the last one was sent to the loony bin."_

_Itachi quirked an eyebrow, in a really irritating way. It reminded her of Sasuke, and that was when she realized she was talking to his brother. She shook her head and sighed. She couldn't think of him now. Not now, not ever again. He didn't say anything, just examined her. Sakura stood her ground, glaring at the man who could easily overpower and kill her any time he wished. But he liked to know his victims before killing them. And he didn't know her. She was safe, for now._

_"Haruno Sakura. Cherry blossoms in the spring field."_

_"Yes, I am sure the meaning behind my name is fascinating. However, we have more pressing matters to discuss."_

_"Which would be?"_

_"Anything that doesn't involve me."_

_He chuckled, before returning to his book. He did not say anything for the rest of the hour. And for that hour, she observed him._

He_, _of all her patients, was the most interesting. And intelligent. The Uchiha was a genius, it was an undeniable fact. He was as smart as he was beautiful. He was as beautiful as he was dangerous. He was as dangerous as he was lethal. She had noticed how he was formal and resigned, his words always holding more than one meaning behind them. He was quick and precise, the Devil's tool. Fatality was always disguised behind beauty. His stories were more interesting and worth while than the rest of them, and it was he who her book would be dedicated to.

She had become attached to him after such a short time. She was gambling with her own life, growing close to him. But she didn't care.

-

She sat with him in his room for that hour. Once every week, she would come and spend some time, always after lunch, with him. She sat with her back to him as he touched and played with her hair, examining it between his fingers. Curiosity getting the better of him, he asked her her reasoning for dying her hair such an obnoxious color. She had laughed, tears in her eyes. Whether it was from hurt, or otherwise, he was unsure. Her emotions often alluded him. Sakura explained that it was natural. Few Harunos had pink hair, but in the time of shinobi it was very common among the clan. He thought it unusual, but it suited Sakura, and not only for her namesake. Over the few months, she had knowingly allowed him to get to know her. She became more trusting of him, the murderer. He supposed, for one with a lesser mind, they might grow attached to this stunning, bright, beautiful woman. But he wasn't an idiot.

He wouldn't grow fond of her.

A year has passed. The wait was long, but he was patient. Sakura confided in him, told him everything. She trusted in him so much, she even told him about her relationship with Sasuke.

_"Itachi..." Sakura looked out of the window, in the same position he would always find himself in during lunch hour. He looked to her, removing himself from the book she had recently published with his guidance. It was an interesting tale, one that always held his attention. She was a magnificent character, and the hours of observing him had not gone to waste. She had portrayed his character quite nicely. Still, he withdrew his attention from the novel, giving her his full attention. She trusted him, and he would not let that be for nothing. Not now, at least."Did I ever tell you..." she paused, nibbling on her lip. _

_"Once," she began again, "I knew a boy. He was sad and alone, being orphaned. He was betrayed by his most trusted confident, his dearest person." Sakura took a deep breath before exhaling. She turned to Itachi, noticing the slight narrow of his eyes, and how his lips were tilted down. To most, they would believe him impassive. But not her. She knew as much about him as he did her. "That boy and I, we grew close as we grew older. I won't pretend our situation at the time were similar, but I understood how he felt. My father being killed, and then my mother killing herself. My sister ran away, and I was alone." This... this was information she had not voiced before._

_"As time passed, I fell in love with the boy. The boy... pretended to love me back. The boy at the time was lingering with the wrong crowd, the Oto gang. His initiation was beating me and raping me. He almost killed me. But he told me I was not worth it. So the boy left me on the street, bloody and broken, wishing for death. I was found by my mentor." Sakura leaned against the wall, looking straight at Itachi._

_"Ever since, I've been yearning for death. My heart didn't quite heal. I know you will kill me, I wish for you to. If you do though, I have one request."_

_"And what is it?"_

_"Kill Sasuke."_

_Itachi didn't respond. Her time was up, anyway._

Sakura lied on his bed, her head in his lap, her eyes closed. He was playing with her hair again. It was coarse and knotted, because she did not care for herself. Sometimes, it would anger him how poorly she thought of herself. However, he would remind himself that he was not to become attached, though he feared he was already too late. She was not sleeping, not yet. His spider like fingers danced across her neck, slowly trailing up the side of her face to her temple. He could kill her so easily, and she trusted him. The foolish child. Itachi closed his eyes and, with one sift movement, hit her temple, killing her. 

Itachi slowly stood, removing her head from his lap onto the pillow. He covered her with the thick bedsheets after taking the key she had stolen for him from her person. She looked perfectly calm, serene. He wouldn't pretend she meant nothing to him. He would honor her request.

Without a look back, he left Sakura behind. _  
_


End file.
